World Humanoid Robot Games open in Beijing

The World Humanoid Robot Games, an international sports competition for human-form robots, opened in Beijing on Thursday.

The event, hosted by the Chinese capital's municipal government and other entities, comes amid the nation's efforts to boost the capabilities of humanoid robots.

Robots developed by companies and students in 16 countries, including Japan, marched into the venue for the opening ceremony.

A robot developed by a Beijing-based firm represented the contestants. It declared they will compete for the future by utilizing wisdom, while inheriting the will of humankind and exerting the power of science and technology.

Robots later participated in various sports. Spectators at a soccer match erupted in laughter when competitors collided with each other and fell in the pitch before being dragged away.

Full-fledged competitions begin on Friday. A total of more than 500 robots are scheduled to take part in 26 events ranging from track and field to dancing and martial arts.

The Chinese government is seeking to advance the level of the country's humanoid robotics to the world's top tier by 2027.